Popular Saudi writer Abdullah Nasser has made it to the list of six authors who have been nominated for the 2026 Naguib Mahfouz Medal Shortlist for Literature owing to his acclaimed book ‘This Is Not a Bullet’, published by Al Karma Publishers.
The American University in Cairo (AUC) Press, responsible for conducting the annual awards, announced the shortlisted list of six books after a rigorous evaluation process. The renowned jury chose the shortlist from an enormous pool of 143 novels that were sent in from 23 different countries across the globe. Nasser has been chosen along with five other prominent regional writers.
Egyptian novelists Ahmad Abdulatif (The Origin of the Species), Ganna Adel (Longa-Cairo Nuweiba), and Talal Faisal (An Old Egyptian Madness); Iraqi writer Inaam Kachachi (A Swiss Summer); and Palestinian author Mohamed Jubaiti (No Mail to Gaza).
Chaired by Dr Hoda Elsadda, professor of English and comparative literature at Cairo University, this year’s independent jury comprises an array of literary scholars, cultural journalists, translators, and creative writers. Organisers emphasised that the 2026 shortlist captures an extraordinarily dynamic cross-section of modern Arabic narrative fiction. The selected works span diverse storytelling modes that examine complex historical memory, shifting contemporary social realities, and enduring human resilience across the Arab world.
Nasser’s inclusion highlights the accelerating momentum and creative strength of Saudi Arabia’s modern literary movement. His shortlisted novel This Is Not a Bullet has earned widespread critical acclaim for its distinctive narrative voice, psychological depth, and stylistic precision. This milestone underscores how Saudi creative voices are increasingly gaining prominence, critical engagement, and readerships across the global literary landscape.
First instituted in 1996, the Naguib Mahfouz Medal for Literature is widely regarded as one of the Arab world’s most prestigious honours for contemporary fiction. The prize explicitly celebrates outstanding contemporary Arabic novels that have not yet been published in English translation. The ultimate winner, who receives a $5,000 cash prize along with a formal contract for worldwide English translation and publication by AUC Press, will be officially declared during the formal ceremony on December 11, commemorating the birth anniversary of Egypt’s celebrated Nobel laureate Naguib Mahfouz Turk Business News
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